I've had my tank set up for over 21 days, and it has yet to move past the ammonia point in the cycle. My ammonia levels are typically around 1-2ppm, nitrites and nitrates have been zero every time I checked. My zebra danios seem very happy, but I'm ready to add some cories when the cycle finishes!

Should I wait it out more, or add something to help the cycle out?

Amphitrite

09-20-2007 03:03 PM

Could you indicate the size of the tank in gallons, and how many danios you are using to cycle the tank with?

A good way of speeding things up is to get some established filter media/gravel from another tank.

00ej8

09-20-2007 03:05 PM

20 gallon tank

6 very small zebra danios

biowheel 100 AND a walmart hob filter.

gravel substrate

no plants

fish_4_all

09-20-2007 04:12 PM

Well you should almost be at a point where you will start to see some nitrites. The cycle will then take about 2 weeks to start showing nitrates and then another 2-4 weeks to finish. Typical cycle is 6-12 weeks. You could speed it up a lot even now if oyu were to get some media from another established tank.

With 6 very small danios you may not ever see levels that are very high. If you are using the test strips from Wal-Mart then you very well could have both nitrites and nitrates already because the strips are terribly inaccurate. Stick with the danios and if you really want to you could add some more of them but I would not add cories yet as they are very secceptible to ammonia and nitrites.

00ej8

09-21-2007 07:15 AM

alrighty. I knew my cycle was not completed yet, but I guess I didn't realize it could take so long for nitrites to begin showing up.

thanks!

Andyandsue

09-23-2007 07:06 PM

One word for you- BioSpira. Love this stuff, worked with each cycle. Natural nitrifying bacteria removes ammonia overnight, and you will see nitrites on your test. Then the cycle continues where the nitrites will spike and you'll do water changes, and then a few days later, you'll have nitrates. I cycled each tank is a matter of one week or so.